What’s next for ‘Business 2.0’?

That was then, this is now

But that was then. With the dust not yet settled from the Internet shakeout, the magazine seems to have fallen out of favor with advertisers. After soaring 183% in 2000, ad pages sank 22% in January, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. The current March 6 issue is a shell of what the magazine used to deliver for advertisers. The 114-page folio includes approximately 43 ads, most of them full-page.

Nevertheless, the publication continues to have support among some advertisers. One of Business 2.0’s chief advertisers said it would continue to buy the magazine regardless of a sale, so long as editorial isn’t compromised. "It’s still a great marketing vehicle and still viewed as a thought leader," said Jim Speros, national director-external communications for Ernst & Young L.L.P.

The accounting giant has been on Business 2.0’s ad schedule practically since the publication’s inception. "My primary concern is that the editorial product remains pure," Speros said. "With the dot-com meltdown, [the magazine] has even become more attractive because there’s a lot less clutter, and that’s a positive."

Another major Business 2.0 advertiser, Novell Inc., which has been on the magazine’s ad schedule for about a year, will continue to buy space in the magazine.

"We understand the volatility of the new economy publications," said Robert Cevallos, a media supervisor at DDB Worldwide, which buys print media on behalf of Novell. "All things being equal, we’ll continue to buy [Business 2.0] so long as it keeps its editorial focus."